Maya Matlin
Maya Matlin is a freshman (Grade 9) in the second half of Season 11. She is into tae kwan doe and journalism, She also loves music, and is a virtuoso cellist. Unafraid to speak her mind and not interested in gaining popularity, this freshman often finds herself in detention. She is friends with Zig Novak, whom she had a crush on, Tristan Milligan and Tori Santamaria. She will be involved with upcoming sophomore Campbell Saunders throughout season 12. Maya is portrayed by Olivia Scriven. Character History Season 11 New Beginnings In Underneath It All, Maya is first seen in Marisol's car along with older sister, Katie. Katie gives Maya advice and tells her to try to have fun in Degrassi. While looking for the music classroom, Maya runs into Zig Novak, and agrees to pretend to be his girlfriend while he avoids the flirtatious attention of his classmates. The two introduce themselves and Zig invites Maya to The Dot after school. Maya apologizes to Ms. Oh for being late to class and picks up the Cello to play. She over hears Tori and Tristan talking about Zig and asks if they are friends. The two reply and tell Maya to stay away from Zig. Maya is then left confused. While waiting for Katie to pick her up, Maya is on Zig's Facerange page and closes it when Katie notices. Katie tells her not to listen to the gossip and give Zig a chance. At The Dot, Maya asks Zig about the rumors and he tells her about his relationship with Tori. In music class the next day, Maya is confronted by Tori, who spits on her from her trombone. Maya and Tori get into a fight and are sent to Principal Simpson. Maya tells Mr. Simpson that Tori is just jealous. Maya then agrees to help Tori, unknowingly getting them back together. Maya then realizes how much she may actually like Zig. In Can't Tell Me Nothing (1), ' '''Maya asks Katie if she's okay suspecting purging when she catches her going through the fridge. Katie tells her shes fine. Maya believes her and leaves. In 'Can't Tell Me Nothing (2), Maya catches Katie sneaking pills from their mom’s bottles and promises to not tell on Katie. She just needs to make it through her try out and then she’ll stop taking the pills. Maya is even more worried about Katie once she gets detention and tells her its a bad idea to run on her leg. Maya greets Katie along with her mom and takes the rest of the pills so Katie can't. In '''Need You Now (1),' '''Maya is seen in the hall with Tori and Zig, as the three go to their lockers while Tori goes on about Power Squad. Maya seems sad when Zig and Tori hug, and annoyed at them being a couple. In 'Need You Now (2), She notices Tori sad in her mascot uniform. Maya tells her that she should stand up to Zig, and not let his skateboarding come between her cheerleading. In '''Hollaback Girl (1), She was seen entering the kitchen in the middle of the night to see Katie soaking wet(when Bianca sprayed her with water) and Bianca informing her that her older sister is high on pills. In Hollaback Girl (2),' '''Maya interrupts a conversation between Drew and Bianca to deliver the news that Katie has had an overdose. As she walks into school, she can be heard complaining about the fact that she shouldn't have had to come to school given the circumstances. In 'In The Cold, Cold Night (1), Maya feels frustrated in music class where the piece they’ve been assigned is far below her capabilities. Maya tries to practice at home, but Katie is exhausted after her first day at rehab and Maya has to stay quiet. Still disappointed that she’s not at an arts school, Maya’s dad suggests she drop the attitude and talk to Ms. Oh. Maya apologizes to Ms. Oh and asks her to be bumped up to the Grade 11 band, but Ms. Oh won’t consider it for another year. Ms. Oh suggest that Maya study theory instead of playing with the band, and Maya agrees. While studying theory, Maya spots an advert in the classified sector of the paper asking for a cellist for an Indie band. She ambitiously circles it. InIn The Cold, Cold Night (2), Maya is debating which shirt to wear to her audition that evening outside of her locker. Tori comes along and tells her to wear the "Foxy" shirt, but to be sure to expose her shoulder when doing so. That night she is sneaking out of the house in the said shirt with her cello when her father catches her. Maya and her father argue, and she tell him she doesn't feel challenged enough in the school band. She is eventually persuaded to go to bed without attending the audition. The next day at the Frostival, she arrives with Katie 's trumpet, saying that it's her musical challenge. When she epically fails on the trumpet during the band's performance, Ms. Oh, Tori, and Tristan, as well as Maya, all find it amusing. Season 12 In '''Come As You Are (1) , After the annoucement about uniforms being gone, Maya, Tori and Tristan are at their lockers talking about going shopping at the mall. Maya tells the two that she's going to try and audition for Mo's rock band. While the 3 are talking, Dallas and his hockey team walk by and he makes a comment about Maya's chest being flat which Maya is obviously angered by. During lunch Maya talks to Mo about auditioning for his band, which he replys to her needing to be more "mature" while glancing at her chest implying she looks to young. While at the mall with Tori, Tristan and Zig they talk about how she is flat chested, Tori and Tristan try telling her she has an amazing body but Maya is seen looking at a poster of a girl with a bigger chest and starts feeling insecure. She tells Tori she needs to look like "that" to be in the band to which Tori replys that she doesn't need implants because she has an other idea. While practising her cello Maya looks at herself in the mirror and puts in the breast pads that she got and thinks this will make her look more "mature" for her audition. In Come As You Are (2), 'Maya comes to school with her "chicken cutlets" on but when she shows Tori, they seemed to be looking like a "uniboob" instead. Tori tries helping her fix the chicken cutlets in the hall while people were looking at them and than Tristan shows up from behind and ask them how they're doing. While Tristan and Tori are talking Maya looks at herself thinking she looks more "mature". Later while Mo's having his auditions, Maya volunteers to go next. Mo seemed to be very impressed with Maya's musical skills, towards the end of her song one her "cutlets" fall out of her shirt and everyone including Maya look towards the ground. Maya continues to play her music while Mo tries pointing out her "cutlet" fell out but Maya ignores this. Once Maya finished her audition she looks at everyone and runs out of the room. While at her locker (trying to find her sheet music) Tori approches her and tells her she heard about the incident and the fact that everyone is calling her "chicken cutlet". Maya than asks her why does she have to wait to get boobs where as Tori already has them. Tori reveals that she failed 4th grade and that she would trade her boobs for Maya's musical talents anyday. The two walk down the hall while Tori supports Maya through out the rest of the day. While leaving school Mo tries to talk to Maya but she and Tori start walking away fast, when Mo catchs up to them, Maya is expecting him to make fun of her instead he asks her to be in the band which Maya happily accepts. As Maya and Tori are about to leave Owen and his hockey team walk by, with Owen making a comment about being hungry for a "chicken cutlet". Instead Maya throws the other cutlet at his head. Owen tells her she might need it which Maya replys to "It's the most action you'll get all year". Maya starts to apologize too Tori about her cutlets but Tori says it's ok and that Maya is her hero and the two girls walk away. In 'Gives You Hell (1), Maya is first seen in French class with Tristan translating. When the teacher asks for a volenteer to be Campbell's group, Tristan forces Maya to raise her hand. Maya introduces herself and says that the class is a wild ride. The next day Maya tries to make Tristan feel better about how he acted around Campbell, unkowningly revealing that Cambell friended her and not him. Maya accidently leaves her Facerange profile up, just as Campbell tries to talk to her. At lunch, Campbell comes up to Maya and offers to lend her his Lost DVDs, because she supposedly mentioned it in their chat. Tristan urges her to play along, so she does and smiles at Campbell as he leaves. Tristan confesses that it was him talking to Campbell and that they have a lot in common. Maya convices him to go talk to him, and apoligizes when it doesn't go well. Campbell later comes up to Maya and Tristan to apologizes and hopes they don't think he's a jerk. Maya looks at him as he walks away. Trivia *She is the second Maya in the Degrassi Franchise, the first being Maya Goldberg. *Whilst Katie and Maya outwardly appear to be typically rivaling siblings, Maya understands Katie, and does her best to help her. *She plays the cello, and intends to play in the New York Philharmonic Orchestra as an adult. *She takes up the trumpet during In the Cold, Cold Night (2), due to wanting a musical challenge. *Her Twitter *During In the Cold, Cold Night (2), Mr. Matlin refers to Maya as being thirteen years old, which some may consider unusual, as most children begin High School at 14, whereas Maya was still 13 at the end of the first semester. This implies that she was born sometime at the end of 1997 *Maya is the second character to feel self-conscious by her breast size. The first was Melanie. *She and her sister, Katie, both feel self-conscious about their bodies. Quotes Season 11 *Maya: "Yep, and there's 199 more just like it 'till summer." (first line) Katie: "Maya, I know you wanted to go to an arts school, but I promise that you'll like it here." Maya: "Is that an order?" Katie: "Don't worry you'll have friends in no time." *Maya: "Is high school always this complicated?" Katie: "At least." *"You scoundrel!" *"You were with Bethany, weren't you?!" ''-- Underneath It All'' ---- *"I'd tell them to eat my bow..." *"It's a good thing our house is already wheelchair accessible." ''-- Can't Tell Me Nothing (2)'' ---- *Mr. Matlin: "....We've just been so focused on Katie and her rehab lately...." Maya: "The squeaky wheel gets the grease..." *"Grade nine band has been terrible, it's like I'm playing with a bunch of Idol rejects!" ''-- In The Cold, Cold Night (2)'' Season 12 *Maya: "I'm flat." Tristan: "Musically?" Maya: "Chestily." ''-- Come As You Are (1)'' ---- *Owen: "I think you might want this back" Maya: "No keep it, it's the most action you'll get all year." ''-- Come As You Are (2)'' ---- *(To Campbell): "Buckle up, because it's a wild ride" ''-- Gives You Hell (1)'' Category:Season 11 Category:Season 12 Category:Degrassi Category:Degrassi Teens Category:Freshmen Category:Female Characters Category:Musician Category:Athlete Category:Degrassi Characters